Orchestra of Exiles Full Film

View the full film online through May 14, 2013. Orchestra of Exiles is the thrilling story of how one man helped save Europe’s premier Jewish musicians from obliteration by the Nazis. In the 1930s Hitler began firing Jewish musicians, but a very successful soloist fought back. Overcoming extraordinary obstacles, the world famous violinist Bronislaw Huberman moved Europe’s great musicians to Palestine and formed a symphony that became the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

With courage, resourcefulness and an entourage of allies including music conductor Arturo Toscanini and scientist Albert Einstein, Huberman saved nearly 1,000 Jews—and guaranteed the survival of Europe’s musical heritage.

This documentary by Academy Award-nominated director Josh Aronson features commentary by musical greats including violinists Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman and Joshua Bell; Israel Philharmonic Orchestra music director Zubin Mehta; and descendents of original orchestra members. Orchestra of Exiles is a timeless tale of a brilliant young man coming of age, and the suspenseful chronicle of how his efforts impacted cultural and classical music history.

This online video of Orchestra of Exiles is available for viewing April 15 through May 14, 2013, only.

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"[Huberman] stepped out in front with all of his stardom and fame…to show that the threat of Nazism would not destroy the cultural achievement of the Jewish people." —

Leon Botstein, president, Bard College

"One has to build a fist against anti-Semitism—a first class orchestra will be this fist." —

Bronislaw Huberman, Palestine Symphony Orchestra founder

"The seeds of culture that Huberman planted here, that he brought from Central Europe, we are reaping its rewards today." —

Zubin Mehta, music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

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Discussion & Comments
"I have a further story about another theft of this famous violin."—Leon Weintraub, Stockholm, SwedenApril 16, 2013Leon Weintraub, originally from Lodz, Poland, shares a Bronislaw Huberman story from a book published in Warsaw in 1988. It recounts how a king of the underworld in Lodz, "Blind Maks," came to Huberman's aid when his Stradivarius violin disappeared there. (Click here to read more in Comments section of "The Stolen Stradivarius.")